Mission(ary) Local

Hey everyone! hope everyone had a good conference weekend!

My conference weekend was pretty good. :) We watched both the morning conferences at Hermana Betty's house. Once in spanish (Saturday) and once in English (Sunday).

Which means that we still watched the same people, but they had a spanish speaker doing a voice over. and when there was a native spanish speaker speaking, there wasn't any voice over. We just got to listen to it normal.

Remember when that Portuguese guy spoke? I actually understood some of that. apparently spanish and portuguese are REALLY similar. I could probably get more of it if I was fluent in spanish. But I'm not. So I just got bits and pieces, and then we moved back to the english version.

The two afternoon sessions we watched at the chapel, Once in spanish (Saturday) and once in English (Sunday).

I went into conference with some questions on how to break addictions and how to feel the spirit, and I learned TONS! One thing in particular that I learned was about the Sacrament, and how we need to 1. Be worthy to take the sacrament, because it is incredibly important. 2. Pay attention to the prayers and the songs. Part of the sacrament prayer mentions how we can "Always have the spirit to be with us." Not just for the day, not just occasionally, but ALWAYS! and I really like that. Having the spirit with us can also help reduce the temptations we feel everyday, whether it's the law of chastity, the word of wisdom, or even just being honest, having the spirt with us ALWAYS can be the answer to that.

In other NEWS. (you'll get that joke pretty soon.)

I ran into a journalist on the street (Daniel Hirsch) who asked Elder Castleberry and I if he could interview us! :) He works for a website called missionlocal.org (check it out) and they deal with all the local news here on the mission district. (the area I live in) and he said he's seen us before, and they sometimes do profiles on interesting people, and we are interesting enough to interview! So in preparation for the interview, he researched our names, and he found my blog!!! so he read my whole blog! :) Daniel, if you're reading this, you deserve a promotion. And he interviewed us about what it's like living here, what a normal day is like as a missionary here in San Francisco, any weird experiences we've had, and it went pretty well! I think it's going to be published on October 8th on the website if his editor approves it.

You should read it, and tell me how it sounds!

That's pretty much all the big stuff that happened this week! keep giving me updates from back home! Love you all!

Elder Webster

Swag-Fancisco

Good Day to you all.

This week, we happened across this guy on the bus. He was wearing a Giants jersey and sunglasses and we were just kinda standing by him, and not talking. once he got to his stop, he was like "Hey, you guys want dinner?"

We were on our way to an appointment, but we had about 15 minutes to kill, so we said "Yeah! sure! that'd be awesome!" and followed him and his girlfriend off the bus.

I figured he'd buy us a cheeseburger or something, and then send us on our way, but no no no no no. Not this guy. He took us to this SUPER EXPENSIVE, DELICIOUS, PHENOMINAL Mexican restaurant. :) out of no where! Apparently, he's a regular there, and he gets a big discount or something. But he (no joke) pointed at the left page of them menu. and ordered everything on it. and then told us that we can take any of it home with us. :) WHHHAAAAAT. Seriously. He was the bomb. And not only was he super generous and kind, but we was hilarious, and likable, and just a great guy! He's not even a member of our church or anything. Just some random guy. So his name is David. and I'll never see him again, but he's my favorite person in the world.

We also set our first baptismal date! A really cool young couple (she's a member, he is not) but we plan to baptize him on October 26th. But They're not married, and they're living together with a kid... so We gotta work through that first. Hopefully everything will turn out ok.

That's most of the awesome stuff that happened this week. We also saw some amazing street performers ON the subway. playing guitar and playing some buckets like drums, and singing. On the actual Bart. So that was pretty cool. other thatn that... All is well! :) Me and Elder Castleberry. We tight.

Love you all! :) have a good week!

Elder Webster

ps. Some of you tried to send me videos. I can't watch them. (not a mission rule. just a down side of using the library computers.) so... sorry.

Love you!

End of Transfer One

Transfer just ended! I'm staying here for another 6 weeks with Elder Castleberry. And that Elder Curay guy (the one that has gotten a shotgun pulled on him, and has been in a gang) is now going to be training a new missionary! other than that, nothing has changed.

This week, I had my first big confrontation with some lady on the street! :) so that was pretty exciting! She came up to us while we were getting to know these 2 guys we had just met, and she yelled at the 2 men to get away from us. so they were like.... what? ok? and kinda walked away. then she proceeded to inform us of how evil we were and how she hates us, and how we need to stop ruining people's lives, and repent, and stuff. She was so angry and loud.

It was so funny! :) Honestly, she was a blast. :) It was a rage of blind furry and insults, and I almost couldn't even keep a straight face. :) haha

Like, it would have been a little insulting maybe, and it kind of was. And I'm not sure what made it so funny to me. But I invited her to church with us! haha she about blew up. Man. good times. :)

In other news, 2 of our steady investigators are going through a really hard time. One of them have pretty bad depression, and said that she would just be better off dead, and how she never wants to leave her house, and she is having a really hard time.. But I talked her through it a little bit, and she's been in our prayers, she knows that whenever she needs a friend, she's got me and ol' elder Castleberry by her side. The other one also has depression, and feels like she's over worked and under paid, and she has house troubles and debt, and it's all a big mess. But she's one of those people that will just do anything we say, and so we've been fasting with her to help her find more work opportunities and stuff, and also for the first lady to feel better.

Other than that: Elder Watkins, a guy in my district is going home next transfer, and he gave me like 8 new ties! so that was sweet, and I got some new pants today. So... You know. pretty exciting stuff.

Love you all! Keep me posted on things. :) Hopefully soon I can send you pics.

Elder Webster

Bret asked Jordan a few specific questions (because sometimes Jordan doesn't volunteer much info!), so I'm posting the Q&A here. 

-Alisa

1) How are your investigators doing? Any new ones?

Investigators are..... eh. But I'll explain more in the main email.

2) Did you get the letter I sent you?

Nope, I haven't gotten your letters yet. It might come in the next couple days though!

3) Tell us about your typical day?

Typical day:

Wake up, go on a mile run, study for 4 hours (personal, companion, language, and noob training), then we have lunch either at popeyes, five guys, with a member, or at the apartment. then we try to visit some less active members/recent converts during the day, and then usually we'll usually have dinner at a members house, and then have a set appointment at one of our (5) investigators' house. then we come home at plan for tomorrow, and go to sleep. that's basically every day.

4) Did you get over the bedbugs?

Bedbugs=dead

5) How's your Spanish coming along?

Spanish is nothing to worry about. Honestly, gift of tongues is a life saver. I can have a full conversation with pretty much anyone as long as they speak clearly, and it helps if the conversation is gospel related. but if it's not, I usually try to make it gospel related. But honestly, Gift of tongues. Love it.

6) How big is your ward? Are sacrament mtgs, lessons, etc all in Spanish at your Sunday meetings?

Wards pretty small. Every thing is all Spanish all the time. (except when someone from the stake comes to speak. then it's in English, and one of the missionaries have to translate. I haven't had to translate yet.)

Love you!

Toumoepaou

Went on exchanges this week with an elder who speaks Tongan. His name is Elder Toumoepaou (tow-mway-pay-ow) and it was SOOO WEIRD! One super cool thing about my mission is that everyone speaks different languages. and it was really cool being with a Tongan Elder. One lady we visited was like "Hey elders, do you want a Hot Dog?" and then gave me a plate with 4 hot dogs, 2 pieces of toast, a pear, some chips, and large lemonade, and a side of ice cream.... Like... As a snack. It wasn't even a meal time. And that kind of thing happened like 6 times. Tongan people NEVER STOP EATING! and everyone I talked to was at least 280 lbs. Which made it weird for elder Toumoepaou to drag around my sorry 140 pound skinny white self.

Some one tell Ethan and Preston to email me from their new email addresses! and tell them good luck for me!! :) they're going to be awesome!

That's pretty much the only super interesting thing that happened this week. Hope everything is going good! love you all!

AT&T park is awesome! hopefully I'll get to send you some pics soon. Because that's what I did this morning. :)

Thanks for everything!

Elder Webster

Pesky Pests and Pesky Tourists

SO this week, I got bed bugs! :D YAAAAAY

They suck. But apparently it's pretty common in the spanish program to go into a members house, and have them crawl on you and have them hitchhike back to you house in your clothes. But I kept waking up with more and more bug bites until my companion told me that I should maybe report it. And sure enough... We have bed bugs. So we called a guy in to spray and fumigate and stuff. Anyway. that was fun.

Yesterday was actually our pday, but since it was also Labor day, all the Libraries were closed. So that's why I'm writing y'all today. I know it doesn't seem like it, but I swear. Monday's should be the day when I write every week.

Since yesterday was our pday, Elder Castleberry and I (with 2 other missionaries) went to a museum/aquarium! It was pretty cool but it was jam packed with tourists because it was labor day and all. But we always get those people that are like "HEY ELDERS!" So it was cool. It's like, any where we are, members usually feel pretty comfortable starting conversation.

Mauricio is doing good. except he is ALSO looking into being a Jehova's witness. (which is fine, It's good for him to explore a little) But I guess the JW's talk a lot of crap about us. He wants to learn more and he's curious and stuff, but he's just super confused in what we teach. But it's all good. Him and his brother (Pancho) are now our official investigators.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: It's a verse that I found in my daily reading, and It's basically exactly how I wish I could introduce myself to people. I actually wrote it on the back of my nametag. :)    <<<3 Nephi 5:13>>> It's pretty good. check it out.

All Good in the Hood

First off: the earthquake. Don't you worry, I'm fine. I slept right through it, and nothing happened to anyone I know. My picture frames on my desk didn't even fall over. My companion woke up for it, but he said it felt like when you pull up to a red light, and you rock forward in your seat a little bit. Seriously, we're good.

As far as the work goes, I've gotten to teach about 8 lessons last week, but all of them have been with less active members, and we're just trying to get them to come back to church and stuff. So no new investigators yet... But it's been super humbling seeing how so many people are living. Even in San Francisco. I've been in apartments that are smaller than my bathroom back home. and it's just packed with junk. and it only has room for like, a bed. So everything they own is piled on the foot of the bed, and they must just sleep curled up in a little ball or something. But they're always smiling. It's a really humbling experience for sure.

But since we haven't really had any new investigators, I have actually been kind of discouraged this past week. It's just hard walking miles to try to visit somebody, and then having them yell at you that they're not interested, and then having to walk miles back home... :/ that happened like 3 times.

Other than that, All is well. We are trying to set up lessons with a girl named Mila, Betty's sister. And I should have to teach an English lesson to spanish speakers pretty soon. So I'll let you know about that.

Love you all! Oh, and PS, some of you were asking, and my mission home address is

4945 Lincoln Way

Oakland, California

94602-2594

Thanks! Elder Webster

So I'm in CA Now!

So I'm in California now! My first area is San Francisco 6A, which is apparently really lucky! it's right in the middle of the crazy active city, and lots of missionaries actually never get to serve there the entire mission. So that's cool. My trainer's name is Elder Castleberry, he's cool. We get along fine, but I don't know, it's hard to compare him to Elder Otto just cause we got along super super well. But Elder Castleberry is from Urtah and plays the banjo and the harmonica. I've seen pictures of his massive neckbeard before the mission, and he's just an interesting guy. haha but in all seriousness, he knows his doctrine really well, and his Spanish is quite a bit better than mine. The one big thing is that I'm a lot more out going than he is, he has kind of a hard time talking to strangers, and he always compliments me on how I'm doing with stuff like that.

Elder Castleberry and I are "shotgunning" the area, which means we are both new to San Fran, so we don't know the area, or have any investigators... So we haven't gotten to teach anyone yet, but we set up some appointments with people we met on the streets.

I get so many weird reactions when people are like "Sorry, I don't speak English!" and then I (being super white) start a conversation in Spanish. Some people are like: dang it, I was hoping I could walk away now... but most people (especially the native Mexicans) are super friendly and will have a super friendly/normal conversation with us and will take our cards and invitations and stuff. Actually, no joke, Mexicans are so nice. It's hard to talk to the white people because about 50% of the ones I've met are super rude. But only about 5% of the Latinos I talk to have been difficult. Honestly. They are so nice. And I get to speak Spanish quite a bit.

My apartment is about as big as my bedroom back home. and it's got a loft (where I sleep) above our desks, another bed for my companion, a kitchen in the corner, and a bathroom that doubles as our closets. There's not a lot of walking room, but we're not usually there during the day, so it's all good. But we live on Mission street and 22nd street if anyone wants to look that up. (Dad)

Our area is a "walking/public transport" area, so I get to ride the "bart" (subway) basically everyday. But normally we just walk everywhere.

I might email a bit later, because my comp wants to go eat... haha more later!

Elder Webster

So there's this one lady, Hermana Betty. She's from Guatamala I think, and she's this little ball of energy. She's about 40, and has a couple kids, and she LOVES the missionaries. She only speaks spanish, but I can understand quite a bit of it. Anyway, She feeds us every Thursday, and I just love her already. I showed her son, (age 6) , a coin magic trick, and he totally freaked out. He's pretty funny too. I can tell we're gunna get pretty tight in this area.

Today, I went and checked out pier 39 and "Fisherman's Warf" and Alcatraz and all those tourist spots, because they're right here in our area. It was so crowded, and we usually get a couple honks and handshakes and stuff in crowds. I think if there's one thing I've learned about this culture is that the latino population just loves the missionaries. they're so welcoming and friendly. Even if they aren't interested in lessons or the church, it's always nice to talk to them. I just love the people here.

Oh, I saw a lady get mugged the other day. That was scary. She's alright now, and her boy friend got her purse back, but it was sketch.

I realize most of this hasn't been spiritual, we haven't gotten to teach anyone yet, so I don't have many spiritual stories. But If there's one thing, it's that the gift of tongues is real. I'm not fluent. Not even close. But whenever I'm talking to someone about the gospel, it all just comes out. So for reals, no joke, the gift of tongues. so good.

I'll send some pictures in a second. I didn't get to take any of the graffiti, but I'll get some for next week. the street art looks so cool.

My companion Elder Castleberry on the right

My crib

Some sea lions

That's the Oakland Temple. Seriously. So pretty.